‘Reforming the Universal Service Fund: What’s Changing’ Broadband Breakfast Club of October 16th 2012

WASHINGTON, Monday, October 15th 2012 – The internet policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its October 2012 Broadband Breakfast Club event “Reforming the Universal Service Fund: What’s Changing?” on Tuesday, October 16th, 2012 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 from 8 am – 10 am. American and Continental breakfasts are included. The program begins shortly after 8:30 a.m. Tickets to the event are $45.00 plus a small online fee.

The Broadband Breakfast Club is sponsored by Comcast, Google, ICF International (ICFI), The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and US Telecom.

The Broadband Breakfast Club series meets on the third Tuesday of each month (except for August and December).

The Broadband Breakfast Club schedule can be viewed at http://broadbandbreakfastseries.eventbrite.com

Nearly one year ago, the Federal Communications Commission announced major changes to the Universal Service Fund by creating the Connect America Fund and the Mobility Fund. How has the FCC followed through in implementing these two funds? Will the Connect America Fund realize the ambitious goals of the National Broadband Plan? Further, the FCC this month completed a spectrum auction to facilitate the Mobility Fund. What has the agency and industry learned from these experiences.

Jeff Lanning is responsible for developing and advocating company positions before the FCC and other federal agencies for CenturyLink. Jeff also supports other federal advocacy and legal matters, and counsels the company’s business units. Jeff was Director of Federal Regulatory Affairs at Embarq before that company was acquired and became part of CenturyLink. Before joining Embarq, Jeff served as Associate General Counsel at USTelecom, Counsel at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr (Washington, DC), Director of Business Development and Strategic Planning at Z-Tel Communications, Special Counsel and Attorney/Advisor at the Federal Communications Commission, and associate at Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol (now Ropes & Gray, New York). Jeff earned an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia.Jennifer McKee, Vice President & Associate General Counsel, NCTA

Jennifer McKee, Vice President and Associate General Counsel at the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. Prior to joining NCTA in 2010, Jennifer worked at the Federal Communications Commission, dealing with universal service issues in the Wireline Competition Bureau’s Telecommunications Access Policy Division, and with intercarrier compensation issues in the Bureau’s Pricing Policy Division.Michael Romano, Senior Vice President of Policy, National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA)

Mike oversees the association's government affairs, legal and industry, and communications operations, with a particular focus on NTCA's advocacy efforts on behalf of the organization's nearly 600 rural telecom members. Prior to joining NTCA, Mike served as of counsel at Bingham McCutchen, LLP, where he advised clients regarding federal broadband network funding opportunities and business planning, and as Vice President and General Counsel of Global Telecom & Technology, a publicly-traded network design and systems integration firm. He has also held positions in the past with America Online and Level 3 Communications. Mike holds a B.A. from Middlebury College and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Tim Donovan is the Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the Competitive Carriers Association. CCA is the nation's leading association for competitive wireless providers and stakeholders across the United States. The licensed service area of CCA's more than 100 members covers 95 percent of the nation. In this capacity, he leads the association’s legislative advocacy before policymakers on issues impacting the competitive wireless community, including roaming, universal service, interoperability, spectrum policy, device availability, broadband policy, and others. Prior to joining CCA, Donovan served as Manager of Government Affairs for the Direct Marketing Association, where his primary responsibility was supporting the advocacy goals of the direct marketing community, including managing all aspects of the Political Action Committee. Donovan holds a bachelor’s degree from Providence College, where he studied English and Political Science.

Mike Wilson, Vice President of Professional Services, CostQuest Associates

Mr. Wilson focuses his consulting efforts in the areas of rural telecommunications, Universal Service Fund policy support, interconnection, and operational analysis for wireless, competitive, and incumbent local carriers. Mr. Wilson currently leads CostQuest’s State Broadband Mapping Program under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Commerce (NTIA) and the ARRA’s State Broadband Initiative (SBI). Prior to joining CostQuest, Mr. Wilson spent 9 years at Western Wireless/Alltel. He primarily worked on Universal Service Fund analysis and compliance, as well as interconnection agreement negotiations. Mr. Wilson started his telecommunications career at McCaw Communications/AT&T Wireless in 1994. CostQuest Associates serves as the frontrunner in designing, developing and implementing economic models for the telecommunications industry. CostQuest has developed Universal Service funding models worldwide and continues to work with the FCC and various stakeholders to develop a forward-looking funding approach for the Connect America Fund.

Moderator:

Eliza Krigman, Technology Reporter, POLITICO Pro

Eliza developed her policy muscles at National Journal, where she served as a principal writer for the Tech Daily Dose blog and also contributed to the company’s daily paper and weekly magazine. Krigman's coverage of tech issues has run the gamut from copyright infringement, online privacy and cable fee disputes to net neutrality and music performance royalties. She has also written extensively on federal education issues and lobbying. Prior to National Journal, Krigman cut her teeth in Beltway journalism as an editorial intern at the Center for Responsive Politics. Her government-related experience extends far beyond that, however. Krigman spent two years as a staff and research assistant at the Brookings Institution and has experience working at the State Department both domestically and overseas. She hails from Boston and received her bachelor of arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, the Brookings Institution, The Nation and the Examiner, among other publications.
Background on BroadbandBreakfast.com

Our moderated discussion panels are comprised of leaders from a wide variety of organizations including government, industry, law firms, academia, nonprofit, journalism and many others. Our audiences are equally diverse. The keynote speech is followed by a moderated panel discussion in which audience participation is encouraged.

Sylvia manages the Broadband Breakfast Club, on-the-record monthly discussion groups that meet on the THIRD Tuesday of each month. She has had a long career in non-profit development and administration, and has raised funds for technology and science education, and managed a project on health information exchange adopted by the State of New York. She understands community education and infrastructure needs for effective broadband access.